19961227, Senate Debates
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253 Leave of Absence Friday, December 27, 1996 SENATE Friday, December 27, 1996 The Senate met at 9.00 a.m. PRAYERS [MR. PRESIDENT in the Chair] LEAVE OF ABSENCE Mr. President: Hon. Senators, I have granted leave to Sen. Martin Daly from sittings of the Senate from December 21, 1996 to January 06, 1997. SENATOR’S APPOINTMENT Mr. President: I have received communication from His Excellency the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago: “By His Excellency NOOR MOHAMED HASSANALI, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Noor M. Hassanali President TO: DHANAYSHAR MAHABIR WHEREAS Senator Martin Daly is incapable of performing his functions as a Senator by reason of his absence from Trinidad and Tobago: NOW, THEREFORE, I, NOOR MOHAMED HASSANALI, President as aforesaid, in exercise of the power vested in me by section 40(2)(c) and section 44 of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, do hereby appoint you, DHANAYSHAR MAHABIR, to be temporarily a member of the Senate, with effect from December 21, 1996 and continuing during the absence from Trinidad and Tobago of the said Senator Martin Daly. Given under my Hand and the Seal of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at the Office of the President, St. Ann’s, this 19th day of December, 1996.” 254 Oath of Allegiance Friday, December 27, 1996 OATH OF ALLEGIANCE Sen. Dhanayshar Mahabir took and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance as required by law. SEASON’S GREETINGS Mr. President: I have also received a letter from the Tobago House of Assembly which reads as follows: “SECRETARIAT AND LEGAL DIVISION, Tobago House of Assembly, Scarborough, Tobago, December 24, 1996. The Clerk of the Senate, Red House, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Dear Madam, The Tobago House of Assembly (1996—2000) at its Plenary Sitting (First Meeting) held in the Assembly Chamber on Friday, December 20, 1996 by resolve, directed that the Seasons’ Greetings for a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year be extended to the President and other Members of the Senate. Yours faithfully, Clerk, Tobago House of Assembly.” ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS The following questions stood on the Order Paper: Highway Maintenance Programme (Loan Agreement) 1. Could the Hon. Minister of Works and Transport inform the Senate if there is a loan agreement entered into between the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and a foreign financial institution or lending agency with respect to a proposed comprehensive Highway Maintenance Programme? If the answer is in the affirmative, could the Minister state: 255 Oral Answers to Questions Friday, December 27, 1996 (a) The date the said loan agreement was signed on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, and by whom? (b) Whether the recognized majority trade unions were consulted with regard to the proposed conditions of the said loan agreement entered into by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago prior to the signing of the agreement? (c) Is there a conditionality in the said agreement to have certain operations privatized or to be contracted out to foreign or local contractors? (d) If the answer to (c) is in the affirmative would the Minister state whether there is a commencement date? (e) Whether daily-paid as well as other workers would be retrenched in the process stated at (d) above? [Sen. M. Jagmohan] Police Service (Vehicles/Crime Statistics) 2. Could the Minister of National Security please inform the Senate of: (a) (i) The criteria used in the selection of vehicles and their accessories for use in the police service? (ii) The number of vehicles purchased and ordered during 1996 for the police by type and model describing the options and accessories included? (iii) The total sum expended and projected expenditure in the purchase of motor vehicles for the police service in 1996 and the price paid for these vehicles by type and model? (b) Could the Minister please inform the Senate of the number and type of violent crimes and other serious crimes committed during the first nine months of 1996 with comparative statistics for the same period in 1995? [Sen. D. Montano] Government Officials (Overseas Trips) 3. Could the Minister of Public Administration and Information please inform the Senate of: (a) The number of official overseas trips each Minister of Government, including the Prime Minister, has made since November 07, 1995? 256 Oral Answers to Questions Friday, December 27, 1996 (b) The nature and duration of each Minister’s visit abroad and the cost of each trip to the taxpayers of Trinidad and Tobago including airfares, hotel accommodation and allowances? (c) What real and tangible benefits have accrued to this country as a result of these overseas trips? [Sen. N. Mohammed] Community Centre (Third Avenue, Barataria) 4. Could the Minister of Community Development, Culture and Women’s Affairs please state: (a) Whether construction work on the community centre at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Third Avenue, Barataria, has been completed? (b) If construction work has been completed, could the Minister state when will it be officially opened? (c) Whether any new community centre is being constructed within one-mile radius from the community centre on Third Avenue, Barataria? [Sen. N. Mohammed] The Minister of Public Administration and Information (Sen. The Hon. Wade Mark): Mr. President, with your leave, I would like to have questions Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 deferred for two weeks. Questions, by leave, deferred. APPROPRIATION BILL (BUDGET) [SECOND DAY] Order read for resuming adjourned debate on question [December 20, 1996]: That the Bill be now read a second time. Question again proposed. The Minister of Community Development, Culture and Women’s Affairs (Sen. Dr. The Hon. Daphne Phillips): Mr. President, I commend the Minister of Finance, Sen. The Hon. Brian Kuei Tung, on his presentation of a budget which, among other positives, takes into account the needs and interests of those who are 257 Appropriation Bill Friday, December 27, 1996 perhaps least empowered in our society. I support the budget presented by this Government for the fiscal year 1997 and I congratulate the Minister for an excellent presentation. Mr. President, in my contribution to this debate, I will concentrate on the social development policy of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago with particular reference to poverty, the elderly, the disabled, women heads of households, the unemployed, and service and support to non-governmental organizations. I will then explore, in some detail, our achievements in 1996 and plans for 1997 in the areas of community development; women’s affairs, and gender issues; and cultural development—for which I am responsible. 9.10 a.m. Mr. President, the social development of a country and its people is a holistic concept which is a product of a variety of economic, social and political policies implemented in a given situation. Social development refers to the extent to which arrangements could be put in place to facilitate the development of the people to achieve as much of their potential as possible under given circumstances. Accordingly, those persons who are better endowed materially; those who are more articulate and autonomous; those with greater access to a variety of options, are all more capable of achieving their full potential than others. The responsibility of the Government in such circumstances is to ensure an environment that is free and fair so that the largest number of persons can thrive for the good of all. It is in those circumstances where social groups and individuals are materially and socially at risk, that the Government’s policy on social development must be more proactive, structured and forceful, and aimed at assisting such individuals in the long run to help themselves, to self-sufficiency, independence and self- actualization. The social development policy of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is therefore more structured and focused on groups which are at risk materially and socially. The most significant of these being the poor, the elderly, the disabled, social groups, women heads of households, children in vulnerable circumstances, and the unemployed. With respect to the policy of this Government in relation to poverty, Mr. President, the National Social Development Council was launched in October, 258 Appropriation Bill Friday, December 27, 1996 [SEN. DR. THE HON. D. PHILLIPS] 1996. It is an interministerial committee which is concentrating on poverty. This council has been established to create a plan: - for the eventual eradication of poverty; - to work with all line ministries to address poverty from several areas simultaneously; - to work with international organizations in their efforts against poverty; - to co-ordinate activities related to poverty eradication so that a more focused attack can be achieved. In this regard, there are several immediate strategies which were adopted to reach the poor who are categorized in various groups. I start with the elderly. One of the policies of this Government is assisting all elderly persons over age 65 years, with an annual income level of $5,000 or less. We have also taken a policy decision to expand the net of persons as wide as possible, and to increase the period of time permitted out of the country from two to five years to have people still eligible to receive assistance. We have also taken a policy decision to increase the quantum of assistance from $356.15 to $420. This is the first increase in four years. In 1992, the pension of the elderly was increased from $315 to $347, an increase of $32, or 10 per cent over the previous level. The increase for 1997 is approximately $64, or 18.4 per cent over the previous level, yet some say that this is no real increase.